The Book Cliffs

The Book Cliffs in Central Eastern Utah is a treasure trove of winding dirt roads providing explorers with nearly endless directions to travel. Book Cliff Ridge Road is a 67-mile-long gateway to the southern end of the Book Cliffs, climbing quickly from the valley below to the top ridgeline. Since this trail serves plenty of drilling and oil sites, it is well-maintained and suitable for just about any vehicle in optimal conditions. There are a few great camping opportunities at the top of the eastern climb, with designated sites tucked away in the trees providing plenty of room for 8-plus vehicles and all the passengers you can carry.

Whether passing through on I-70 or exploring the Book Cliff trails, this historic and immersive drive through Sego Canyon will elevate your opinion of this desolate landscape. Starting at 5,500' and ending at 8,500', this easy trail packs a bunch of history and scenery in just over 10 miles. The trail slowly begins to leave the rugged flat desert after a short stop at the Sego Cemetery, where some of the town's residents were laid to rest. Continuing up into the cliffs, you will see signs of an abandoned railroad spur built in 1914 to retrieve coal from the town of Sego. An impressive 13 bridges had to be constructed to crisscross the creek. As you approach the ghost town, you will see the small stone buildings being overtaken by nature, but one structure still stands tall. The American Fuel Company Store was built in 1911 and still has all four walls standing today. The now crumbling town reached its peak in the 1930s when the mine employed 125 miners, and the town had approximately 500 residents. Continuing through a seemingly hypnotizing canyon, you'll have more opportunities to see how the early settlers lived when you stop at the stone and log cabins. The now vertical cliffs become much tighter while precariously balanced rock spires threaten to tumble down at any moment. The vegetation changes dramatically as you switch back to the top, where you enter a dense pine and aspen forest, ripe with memorable camping on the rim.

Upper Tusher Canyon is an entirely different experience than rugged lower Tusher Canyon. Your adventure begins in the sandy wash below the towering Book Cliffs, the longest continuous cliffs on the continent. The trail winds through a dense desert vegetation landscape with unique rock formations poking out of the trees. You will climb to over 7500 feet and the border of the Uintah/Ouray Indian Reservation, where a natural spring has created a shady oasis to set up camp. The trail ends at an old drill platform that makes a wonderful group campsite. Individual campsites are under the trees in the tall grass. The trail is well-maintained but can change after a rainstorm. In dry conditions, the trail can be completed in 2WD. The trail follows a canyon. Do not drive the trail in rainy conditions.

Sager Wash Road is a short grated dirt road used for accessing Sagers Bench and numerous other trails along the seemingly impenetrable Book Cliffs. The trail is easy enough for all stock SUVs and high clearance passenger cars with durable tires. You will travel through a wash under the railroad tracks before entering the annual sheep lambing area for local ranchers. Please be respectful and patient with the massive herds crossing the roadway. No camping was found along this short route because of the rolling terrain and sheep grazing. Remote primitive camping with incredible views can be found along Sagers Bench.

Sulphur Road is designated as a "B" road by the Bureau of Land Management and will receive maintenance from time to time. It is a diverse road from its start to its finish, with its southern end being just off I-70 and its northern end reaching the first bench of the Book Cliffs. On the north end it follows a wash and would quickly become impassable when wet. While there are plenty of places to set up camp, nothing is pre-disturbed. It is suitable for any high-clearance vehicle in dry conditions.

Cottonwood Road lies between the Book Cliffs and I-70. The Bureau of Land Management classifies it as a B road, and it will receive maintenance from time to time, making it suitable for any vehicle during dry conditions. You can drive it in any direction, depending on your chosen routes. Traveling from the south to the north, you will have incredible views of the beginning of the Book Cliffs and cross an area called "The Grassies," which is aptly named with most of the vegetation being high desert grasses and brush. Towards the northern end, Cottonwood trees will come into view, and eventually, the road will intersect at a sheep ranch, which is on private land. While plenty of spots exist to pull over and camp, nothing is pre-disturbed.

BLM 186 has no official name. The Bureau of Land Management designates it a "B" road, which receives maintenance from time to time. It is suitable for any high-clearance vehicle in dry conditions. It follows along the top contour of the first bench that starts to form the famed Book Cliffs. On the north side of the road are towering cliffs, and on the south side, erosion canyons give a short and quick glimpse of the lowlands and provide a unique experience and contrast compared to the roads that access them. At each end of the road is private ranch land, and while there are several areas to pull over and camp, nothing is pre-disturbed.